PCT patent application No. PCT/US08/07015, filed Jun. 4, 2008, shows prosthetic heart valves that are annularly collapsible for delivery into a patient, and then re-expandable at the implant site in the patient. (The above document will be referred to hereinafter as the above-mentioned reference, and it is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.) The prosthetic heart valves shown and described in the above-mentioned reference typically include an annular supporting structure or stent frame (e.g., of a highly elastic metal such as nitinol). This stent frame or stent typically includes an annulus inflow portion and an aortic outflow portion that is generally coaxial with the annulus inflow portion and spaced downstream (in terms of blood flow through the implanted valve) from the annulus inflow portion. The annulus inflow and aortic outflow portions are preferably connected to one another substantially solely by connecting struts that extend between the annulus inflow and aortic outflow portions adjacent to the commissure regions (also known as commissure posts having commissure tips) of the valve. By confining these connecting struts between the annulus inflow and aortic outflow portions to close proximity to the commissure tip regions, the circumferential space between annularly adjacent commissure tips is left relatively open, which (in the case of aortic valve use) helps the prosthesis avoid occluding the ostia of the coronary arteries.
Valves of this general type are intended for delivery into a patient at an implant site to which the surgeon may not have direct open access, e.g., for suturing the implanted valve in place. Good self-anchoring of the valve at the implant site is therefore important, and there may be self-anchoring improvements that can be made relative to embodiments that are shown in the above-mentioned reference.